Snare-strainer for drums



(No Model.)

B. E. FRY.

SNARE STRAINER FOR DRUMS.

No. 399,396. Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

J 771/ enior flan 00 has flawm s UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIAYOOD E. FRY, OF BROOKLYN, NEXY YORK.

SNARE-STRAINER FOR DRUMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,396, dated March12, 1889.

Application filed August 13, 1888. Serial No. 282,561. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, ELLwooD E. Inwaeitizen of the United States, and aresident of Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have in vented an ImprovedSnare-Strainer for Drums, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my inventionis to so construct a snare-strainer for drumsas to provide for the ready stretching of the snares, and also theirready release when it is desired to allow them to shrink, furtherobjects of the constructionbeingto avoid strain upon the parchdentalcatching of the strainer upon the clothing of the drummer.

' In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a drumprovided with my improvement. Fig. 9 is a perspective view,

drawn to a larger scale, of the strainer, the 5 snares being shown ascut off at the clamp. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a portion ofthe drum and showing the pivoted bridgelever of the strainer released. tis a corresponding view showing the pivoted bridgelever about beingclosed; and Fig. 5 is a ver tical section through the strainer when itis in the closed position.

A A are the snare-cords of the drum, which are looped at the outer end,a, and secured there on that side of the drum by any suitable means,while at the opposite side, I), of the drum they are secured in anadjustable clamp, by means of which they may be stretched as taut as maybe desired over the membranous head B of the drum.

My invention relates particularly to the devices whereby the snares maybe stretched or strained. a of the snares are held, consists of a pairofplates, r] d, grooved on their inner faces to receive the snares, asshown in Fig. 2, and fitted to each other and secured together by meansof set-screws s, passing through slots in the inner plate, (1, andthreaded into the outer plate of the clamp. By this means the outer faceof the clamp is left perfectly smooth and without any projections tocatch'on the clothing of the drummer. This clamp iscarried by a hingedbridge-lever, E, pivoted to lugs p on a slotted escutcheon-plate, P,which is secured to the rim of the drum, and the snares pass The clampD, by whichv the ends through this slotted plate, as shown in thedrawings. This ln'idgc-levcr E has a bearing, 8, for the end of ai1llll1l1l)SCl(\V,f, which carries the clamp. The thumb-scrcwf isthreaded through a lug, (7 on the back of the inner clamping-plai'e, 17.

The upper edge of the pivotedbridge-lever E is preferably rounded andgrooved, as shown in Fig. 2, for the reception of the individual snares,which find a bearing on this bridge when they are stretched by theturning down i of the bridge-lever from the position shown in ment ofthe drumhead and to prevent acci- Fig. 3 to that shown in Figs. 1, '2,and 5. In order to retain the bridge-lever and chlmping devices in thelatter position, I provide a suitable spring-eatcli, G, on the plate P,this catch engaging with a projection, e on thelever E, when the latteris turned down, Fig. 2. In the present instance I have shown thespringcateh as consisting simply of a plate, 9, normally held to theflanged lower edge of the escutcheon-plat'e P by a spring, g, around aheaded screwor pin, which passes through the catch-plate. Other forms ofcatches may be used, however, withoutdeparting from my invention.

It will be observed that the top of the hinged bridge-lever is in such aposition with reference to the hoop 71, over which the membranous headof the drum stretched, Fig. 5, that the snares do not bear on that hoop,and in consequence there is no tendency to pull down the membrane fromthe cord-hoop 71.

hVhen it is desired to stretch or strain the snares, thehingedbridge-lever is released from the catch G and turned up, and thethumbscrew is turned so as to adjust the clampplates iarthcr away. Thenthe bridge-lever is turned down again and the snares are therebystrained over the bridge. The clamps may be adjusted by the screw whenthe bridge-lever is in the closed position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5,but this is not desirable. When the drum has become damp or wet and whenit is to be. laid away, the bridge-lever is released from the catch, sothat the :snarcs can then shrink to their usual length.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of the snares of a drum witha hinged lever carrying an adjustable clamp for the snares, and a catchto retain the lever in the closed position, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the snaresot a drum with a hinged bridge-leverover which the 5 snares can be stretched, an adjustable clamp carried bythe lever, and a catch to retain the lever in the closed position,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the snares of a drum IO with a hinged bridge-leverhaving a grooved edge for the snares, an adjustable clamp carried by thelever, and a catch to retain the lever, substantially as described.

l. The combination of the snares of a drum I5 and a hinged bridge-lever,with a clamp carried by the lever, an adj Listing-screw for the clamp,and a catch for the lever substantially as specified.

5. The combination of the snares of a drum and a bridge-lever, with anadjustable clamp 20 consisting of plates carried by the lever, the

securing-screws of the said plates being on the inner side, as and forthe purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two sub- 2 5 scribing witnesses.

ELLlVOOD E FRY. lYii'nesses:

EGBERT S. MoTT, GEO. O. DEMERITT.

